Six ‘classic’ Dr Seuss books to have publication ended over racist imagery
Six Dr Seuss books will no longerbepublishedbecauseof racist and insensitive imagery, the business that preserves the author's legacy has said.
"These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong," Dr Seuss Enterprises said in a statement that coincided with the late author and illustrator's birthday.
"Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr Seuss Enterprises' catalogue represents and supports all communities and families."
The six books are And to
Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, Mcelligot's Pool, On Beyond Zebra!, Scrambled Eggs Super!, and The Cat's Quizzer.
The decision to cease publication and sales of the books was made last year after months of discussion, the company said.
"Dr Seuss Enterprises listened and took feedback from our audiences including teachers, academics and specialists in the field as part of our review process."
"We then worked with a panel of experts, including educators, to review our catalogue of titles," the company said.
Books by Dr Seuss – who was born Theodor Seuss Geisel in the US state of Massachusetts on March 2, 1904 – have been translated into dozens of languages as well as in braille and are sold in more than 100 countries. He died in 1991.
He remains popular, earning an estimated $33 million (£23m) before taxes in 2020, the company said.
Forbes listed Dr Seuss second on its list of the highest-paid dead celebrities of 2020, behind only Michael Jackson.
Dr Seuss is adored by millions around the world for the positive values in many of his works, including environmentalism and tolerance, but there has been increasing criticism in recent years over the way black people, Asians and others are drawn in some of his most beloved children's books, as well as in his earlier illustrations used for advertising and propaganda.
The US National Education Association, which founded Read Across America Day in 1998 and deliberately aligned it with Geisel's birthday, has for several years de-emphasised Dr Seuss and encouraged a more diverse reading list for children.
School districts across the US have also moved away from Dr Seuss.
In 2017, a school librarian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, criticised a gift of ten
Dr Seuss books from first lady Melania Trump, saying many of his works were "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures and harmful stereotypes".
In 2018, a Dr Seuss museum in his home town of Springfield removed a mural that included an Asian stereotype.
The Cat In The Hat, one of Dr Seuss's most popular books, has also received criticism but will continue to be published for now.
Dr Seuss Enterprises said it is "committed to listening and learning and will continue to review our entire portfolio".